Lafayette Child Support Lawyer

Lafayette Child Support Attorney

Navigating the complexities of child and spousal support is crucial to ensure financial stability for your children and yourself. In the state of Louisiana, parents are expected to provide both financial and other forms of support to their children, regardless of marital status.

Additionally, spousal support may be a component of a divorce decree. To ensure fair outcomes and avoid overpayment or inadequate support, it is essential to collaborate closely with an experienced family law attorney.

My name is Chris Villemarette and I have been practicing law for twenty-nine years. In my practice here in Lafayette, I have gained a great deal of experience and developed the skills necessary to provide professional and competent representation for my clients. My skill and experience will insure that the court determines the appropriate amount of child support you should pay or receive.

I will also guide you in understanding whether a family court judge may expect your divorce to include a spousal support order. I will explain your rights, responsibilities, and guide you through the process of determining child or spousal support amounts.

Grasping the Fundamentals of Support Orders

In Louisiana, the Child Support Award Guidelines determines how the state establishes child support orders when parents are divorced or separated. These guidelines take into consideration key factors, including the gross income of each parent and the custodial time shared by each parent with the minor child.

While these guidelines may appear straightforward, calculating a parties actual gross income, quantifying the cost of a children’s special needs, requires skilled advocacy by a knowledgeable child support lawyer which can significantly impact the outcome of support calculations.

Unlike child support, spousal support is determined on a case-by-case basis and is a much more complicated calculation with many other considerations. A family court judge considers various factors when making a final decision, including:

• The needs of the party requesting support, including those expenses necessary to maintain the lifestyle to which that person enjoyed when married to and living with the party paying support.
• The ability to pay support considering the necessities of the party being asked to pay support.
• Income, earning capacity, and assets of both spouses
• Existing financial support, including child support orders
• Health and age of each spouse
• Duration of the marriage
• Tax implications of spousal support proposals
• History of domestic abuse by the paying spouse against the supported spouse or children

If your divorce order includes a spousal support provision, it may terminate automatically upon remarriage while receiving spousal support.

Contact Our Lafayette Child Support Lawyer Today

Understanding how child support and spousal support are determined in your specific case is vital. Whether you need assistance with enforcing or modifying an existing order, I, attorney Chris Villemarette, am here to guide you through the legal process.

To contact Chris Villemarette, Trial Lawyer, please complete our online form or call 337-232-3100 for a consultation.